Lectures on Romanism - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1840 edition. Excerpt: ...all the gods, was piously consecrated by Pope Boniface IV. to the blessed Virgin and all the saints. With this single alteration it serves as exactly for all the purposes of the popish, as it did for the pagan worship, for which it was built. For, as in the old temple, every one might find the god of his country, and address himself to that deity whose religion he was most devoted to, so it is the same thing now; every one chooses the patron whom he likes best, and one may see here different services going on at the same time, at different altars, with distinct congregations around them, just as the inclinations of the people lead them, to the worship of this or that particular saint. "And as it is in the pantheon, it is just the same in all heathen temples that still remain in Rome; they have only pulled down one idol to set up another, changing rather the name than the object of their worship. Thus the little temple of Vesta, near the Tiber, mentioned by Horace, is now possessed by the Madonna of the Sun; that of Fortuna Virrlis, by Mary the Egyptian; that of Saturn, where the public treasure was anciently kept, by St. Adrian; that of Romulus and Remus, in the Via Sacra, by two other brothers, Cosmus and Damianus; that of Antonine the godly, by Lawrence the saint; but for my part, I would sooner be tempted to prostrate myself before the statue of a Romulus, or an Antonine, than that of a Lawrence, or a Damian, and give divine honours rather with pagan Rome to the founders of empires, than with popish Rome to the founders of monasteries." See Middleton's letter from Rome, printed at length in the Illustrations of Popery, p. 506; The saints, moreover, like the heathen gods of old, have been and still are regarded as the guardian angels...